Diane Chamberlain's Blog, page 43
April 3, 2009
Fashion: The Scourge of Middle Age
If you're one of my young readers, especially my teenaged readers (I love you!), you can skip this post. The rest of you, please read on (with empathy, I hope).
I've never been into fashion, as anyone who knows me can tell you. I have my everyday jeans and my dressy jeans, and that's about it. But each year, as I approach the season in which I'll be making public appearances, I drag myself to the store to look for something to wear. That elusive something is getting harder and harder to find.
You see, I've reached this truly unjust age in which I must cover my arms to avoid scaring my audience, but I'm also at the age in which I'm simply too hot to cover my arms. It's a dilemma!
So yesterday, I went shopping for a top that might meet my cover-my-arms need as well as my not-too-hot need. I scoured the racks in my favorite (well, I really don't have a favorite. I am so not into this) clothing store. It took me about an hour, but I finally found about twenty contenders and carried them into the fitting room. (Yes, there was a little sign telling me I could only take six garments in with me, but no one was minding the store. Seriously, would you have taken in six at a time?). For half an hour, I tried on top after top. Too tight. Too loose. Nauseating color. And--most of the time--too hot. I gave up. I was piling the tops back into my arms when I noticed this balled up thing, someone's discarded something or other, on the floor in the corner. I thought I'd be a good person and take it out with me, leaving the fitting room nice and tidy. I picked it up. The fabric was light and airy. The sleeves were 3/4 length. The color was a deep blue. The size. . . well, we won't go into that, but it was my size. I dropped the other tops in a heap, whipped off my sweater and slipped into the most perfect going-out-to-meet-the-public blousy kind of thing ever.
Next time, I'll check the floor of the fitting room first.
I've never been into fashion, as anyone who knows me can tell you. I have my everyday jeans and my dressy jeans, and that's about it. But each year, as I approach the season in which I'll be making public appearances, I drag myself to the store to look for something to wear. That elusive something is getting harder and harder to find.
You see, I've reached this truly unjust age in which I must cover my arms to avoid scaring my audience, but I'm also at the age in which I'm simply too hot to cover my arms. It's a dilemma!
So yesterday, I went shopping for a top that might meet my cover-my-arms need as well as my not-too-hot need. I scoured the racks in my favorite (well, I really don't have a favorite. I am so not into this) clothing store. It took me about an hour, but I finally found about twenty contenders and carried them into the fitting room. (Yes, there was a little sign telling me I could only take six garments in with me, but no one was minding the store. Seriously, would you have taken in six at a time?). For half an hour, I tried on top after top. Too tight. Too loose. Nauseating color. And--most of the time--too hot. I gave up. I was piling the tops back into my arms when I noticed this balled up thing, someone's discarded something or other, on the floor in the corner. I thought I'd be a good person and take it out with me, leaving the fitting room nice and tidy. I picked it up. The fabric was light and airy. The sleeves were 3/4 length. The color was a deep blue. The size. . . well, we won't go into that, but it was my size. I dropped the other tops in a heap, whipped off my sweater and slipped into the most perfect going-out-to-meet-the-public blousy kind of thing ever.
Next time, I'll check the floor of the fitting room first.
April 1, 2009
Miscellany: The Courage Tree Newsletter & The Mira UK Blog, etc.
I wanted to pass along a couple of bits of information, so I'm combining them here.
First, what's with the outfit? Well, I needed a picture to go with this blog post and this is my most recent. I attended a party over the weekend where everyone was supposed to wear something from their college days. I've been saving my old fringed leather vest and peace sign earrings for decades, waiting for just such an occasion! It was great fun.
Second, those of you who signed up on my mailing list should have received my latest e-newsletter featuring The Courage Tree today. If anyone missed it and would like to see it, here's the online link. I wrote the text for the newsletter, but the lovely design was created by Tara Green, who is always a joy to work with.
Third, I blogged on my publisher's (Mira Books) United Kingdom site today, writing about the inspiration behind The Lost Daughter (aka The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.) If you're interested, pop over there and take a look.
Fourth, my updated website is about to go live! I'll keep you posted.
And finally, my BIG '20-year-celebration' contest is nearly ready to be unveiled. I'm so excited about it, and I'll let you know the second it begins.
http://dianechamberlain.com/blog/2009...
First, what's with the outfit? Well, I needed a picture to go with this blog post and this is my most recent. I attended a party over the weekend where everyone was supposed to wear something from their college days. I've been saving my old fringed leather vest and peace sign earrings for decades, waiting for just such an occasion! It was great fun.
Second, those of you who signed up on my mailing list should have received my latest e-newsletter featuring The Courage Tree today. If anyone missed it and would like to see it, here's the online link. I wrote the text for the newsletter, but the lovely design was created by Tara Green, who is always a joy to work with.
Third, I blogged on my publisher's (Mira Books) United Kingdom site today, writing about the inspiration behind The Lost Daughter (aka The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.) If you're interested, pop over there and take a look.
Fourth, my updated website is about to go live! I'll keep you posted.
And finally, my BIG '20-year-celebration' contest is nearly ready to be unveiled. I'm so excited about it, and I'll let you know the second it begins.
http://dianechamberlain.com/blog/2009...
March 30, 2009
Work in Progress: The Title Search
Here we go again!
Last year I asked you to put on your thinking caps to help me title my work-in-progress. Frequent commenter Denise came up with Secrets She Left Behind, which my publisher, agent and I all agreed was a winner. (Look for it in your bookstores on May 26th).
Now it's time to give the new book a title, so I'll give you a small peek inside the story (without giving anything away, I promise), and I'll tell you the titles I'm thinking about.
(Note: A while back, I told you the setting was Beaufort, North Carolina and Ecuador. Scratch Ecuador. Scratch Beaufort, too, but leave North Carolina. The book will take place somewhere near the NC coast).
It's the story of two thirty-something sisters, Maya and Rebecca, both doctors. They have a very loving and supportive relationship, although they're very different from one another. Maya is serious and cautious. She longs to have a baby with her husband Adam, but is not able to. Rebecca is a risk taker who works for a Doctors Without Borders type organization and who sleeps with whatever guy happens to be available (well, almost). Their parents were murdered when they were 14 and 18, after which Rebecca essentially raised and protected Maya.
Since I don't want to give anything away, but do need to give you some ideas to help your thought process, here are some elements in the story:
Back-to-back hurricanes, sister storms (too many 'S's in those two words for a good title).
A man with blue eyes (not a good guy).
Maya's fearfulness and Rebecca's courage.
Secrets surrounding their childhood.
An old cabin on a wooded piece of land, surrounded by floodwaters.
A young woman, very significant in the story, who is a teeny bit mystical.
Themes of family love and protection, people living up--or down--to their "labels" (risk-taker; cautious), betrayal, hope, forgiveness, inner strength.
Does that help? Here are some titles I'm playing with:
The Lies We Told
The Man with Blue Eyes
The ______ of __________ Creek (first blank refers to the mystical woman, second to the name of the fictional creek)
I can't wait to hear your thoughts, and I can't wait to actually finish this manuscript. It's a clear case of a story veering wildly from my carefully planned outline, but what else is new?
Last year I asked you to put on your thinking caps to help me title my work-in-progress. Frequent commenter Denise came up with Secrets She Left Behind, which my publisher, agent and I all agreed was a winner. (Look for it in your bookstores on May 26th).
Now it's time to give the new book a title, so I'll give you a small peek inside the story (without giving anything away, I promise), and I'll tell you the titles I'm thinking about.
(Note: A while back, I told you the setting was Beaufort, North Carolina and Ecuador. Scratch Ecuador. Scratch Beaufort, too, but leave North Carolina. The book will take place somewhere near the NC coast).
It's the story of two thirty-something sisters, Maya and Rebecca, both doctors. They have a very loving and supportive relationship, although they're very different from one another. Maya is serious and cautious. She longs to have a baby with her husband Adam, but is not able to. Rebecca is a risk taker who works for a Doctors Without Borders type organization and who sleeps with whatever guy happens to be available (well, almost). Their parents were murdered when they were 14 and 18, after which Rebecca essentially raised and protected Maya.
Since I don't want to give anything away, but do need to give you some ideas to help your thought process, here are some elements in the story:
Back-to-back hurricanes, sister storms (too many 'S's in those two words for a good title).
A man with blue eyes (not a good guy).
Maya's fearfulness and Rebecca's courage.
Secrets surrounding their childhood.
An old cabin on a wooded piece of land, surrounded by floodwaters.
A young woman, very significant in the story, who is a teeny bit mystical.
Themes of family love and protection, people living up--or down--to their "labels" (risk-taker; cautious), betrayal, hope, forgiveness, inner strength.
Does that help? Here are some titles I'm playing with:
The Lies We Told
The Man with Blue Eyes
The ______ of __________ Creek (first blank refers to the mystical woman, second to the name of the fictional creek)
I can't wait to hear your thoughts, and I can't wait to actually finish this manuscript. It's a clear case of a story veering wildly from my carefully planned outline, but what else is new?
March 28, 2009
The Courage Tree
For years, my readers (and I) have been hoping that some of my older books would become available again. Now it's finally happened, and the reissue of The Courage Tree is only the beginning. Breaking the Silence will be released late in the year, and next year, Summer's Child and Cypress Point will hit the stores.
The Courage Tree is the story of a little girl who disappears during a camping trip and the desperate race against time to find her. (And one of the characters lives in a very cool treehouse. Okay, I know that's not as important as 'the desperate race against time', but I love that treehouse!). Those of you who've alrady read the book will understand why the little girl, Sophie, is holding a tulip poplar blossom on the cover. And just a little inside scoop: the art director had no tulip poplar blossoms handy, so he (she?) combined two other flowers to create one. A great job, I think!
You can find The Courage Tree at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. I hope you enjoy it and that you'll let me know what you think once you've read it.
The Courage Tree is the story of a little girl who disappears during a camping trip and the desperate race against time to find her. (And one of the characters lives in a very cool treehouse. Okay, I know that's not as important as 'the desperate race against time', but I love that treehouse!). Those of you who've alrady read the book will understand why the little girl, Sophie, is holding a tulip poplar blossom on the cover. And just a little inside scoop: the art director had no tulip poplar blossoms handy, so he (she?) combined two other flowers to create one. A great job, I think!
You can find The Courage Tree at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. I hope you enjoy it and that you'll let me know what you think once you've read it.
March 27, 2009
Need a Chuckle?
As some of you may know, for the past several years Google has made books "searchable" online. In other words, they scanned nearly all books--regardless of whether or not said books were still copyrighted--to make the contents searchable by anyone on the Internet. The Authors Guild brought suit against Google for copyright infringement on behalf of all authors and won. It's way too complicated an issue to go into here, but the upshot is that all authors have to slog through a registry of their books, in every language and edition, and state whether they "opt in" or "opt out" with regard to making their books searchable. I started this task and clearly realized it would take days to complete, so I asked my trusty assistant to take over. She quickly discovered how onerous a task I'd assigned her, but she at least got to giggle as she searched for my foreign titles. Many of the titles differ from country to country and she could only figure out which book was which by checking the synopsis using an Internet translation tool . So here, for your enjoyment, is the synopsis of the Italian version of Cypress Point, better known in Italy as Fog Over the Sky -- or something like that.
March 24, 2009
Welcome, Guest Blogger Therese Fowler!
From Diane: When I posted (ad nauseum) about my outline process recently, friend and fellow author, Therese Fowler, piped in to say that she never outlines. I thought it would be fun to hear how Therese works so well without a net. I've read Souvenir--a poignant and beautifully crafted story--and look forward to reading Reunion. Having just ditched most of my outline now that my characters have taken over, I'm going to pay special attention to Therese's process. Welcome, Therese!
From Therese:
Before I dig in to the topic of this post, I want to thank Diane for inviting me to guest-blog here at her place in concert with the publication of my second novel, Reunion, which went on sale this week! My first, Souvenir, came out last year and is now out in trade paperback. It's been a treat to see it shelved literally around the corner of Target's Breakout Books display rack from Diane's Book Club pick The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.
Compared to Diane, I'm pretty wet behind the ears, so it's really interesting to get her perspective on things. During a recent episode of "shop talk," I mentioned how impressed I am with Diane's extensive pre-writing process. She's described it for you here--the detailed, lengthy synopses that demand so much of her time and energy. It amazes me that she can work out an entire story ahead of time, because my method is pretty much exactly the opposite!
I write mainstream/women's fiction, which means I don't have a prescribed word count and I'm not following a genre "formula." When I start a new novel, I'm working from little more than the parameters of the sorts of stories I like to write: a combination of elements that includes family drama, a love story or romantic sub-plot, the examination of a moral/ethical issue and a question of what's right in a given situation. My last proposal, which was the basis of my current two-book contract, was a page-and-a-half long. My proposal for Reunion was about the same. Considering that my manuscripts come in at +/- 100,000 words, let me tell you, it's a tall order to make sure I get all those words in a comprehensive order and delivered to my editor on time.
So why don't I outline, and how do I write those 100k words in the correct order and on time? Good questions! I sometimes wonder the same things myself!
I always begin a new work with two things: a situation, and a primary character or two. Just by thinking it through and journaling a bit, I discover a general starting point and ending point of the story. With Souvenir, I knew I was crafting a tragic but ultimately redemptive love story--but the nature of the tragedy and how it played out were details that emerged only after I'd begun. In short: I had to write the story to find it. This, then, is probably why I can't outline a story. I don't know my characters well enough at the beginning to be able to say what they'll do--and what they'll do is what creates the plot. It's only after I've written fifty or eighty pages that I begin to see the way my subconscious is creating connections. From there, I can further refine my characters, and when I do that, I can see what they might do next, given the situation I've established for them.
For me, crafting a story is, in essence, the process of creating and recognizing a series of diminishing possibilities that lead to an inevitable conclusion. However, using this method means that I have to be three things: 1) a good self-editor, 2) willing to start over as often as necessary until I find the right opening [which I do, sometimes discarding 50-100 pages:], and 3) an efficient, fast writer. Fortunately, I seem to be all of those things, which I think is the answer to how I can work this way and also produce a book each year.
Honestly, I've always been this kind of writer. In college, my essays and term papers were written seemingly off-the-cuff (and usually right before they were due)--and yet I still managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. It's not because I'm brilliant; rather, it's because I know what works for me and I've learned how to make the most of it.
I think it's so cool that although we go about it differently, Diane and I both create multi-layered, suspenseful (and, very importantly, publishable) stories, proving that disparate approaches can and do have successful outcomes. Any of you who are aspiring authors, take note! There is no one right way to craft a novel (nor is there one right kind of novel to craft). The important thing is to discover what works for you.
Hmm...for that matter, the same is true about relationships, occupations--and my personal favorite, popcorn toppings! (Browned butter, sea salt, and grated parm, thanks very much.)
I know I'll never be an outliner, which means that each time I sign a contract, both my publisher and I will be making a leap of faith. Considering how quiet and solitary the writing life tends to be, this brings a bit of mostly welcome suspense and excitement to my life!
However I go about it, my goal is to always provide readers with a full, engrossing, compelling, satisfying read, and I invite you to get in touch with me after you've read my books and let me know how well I'm doing my job. You, the readers, are the ultimate judges.
My thanks again to Diane for having me here, and warmest wishes to all of you!
-Therese
From Therese:
Before I dig in to the topic of this post, I want to thank Diane for inviting me to guest-blog here at her place in concert with the publication of my second novel, Reunion, which went on sale this week! My first, Souvenir, came out last year and is now out in trade paperback. It's been a treat to see it shelved literally around the corner of Target's Breakout Books display rack from Diane's Book Club pick The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes.
Compared to Diane, I'm pretty wet behind the ears, so it's really interesting to get her perspective on things. During a recent episode of "shop talk," I mentioned how impressed I am with Diane's extensive pre-writing process. She's described it for you here--the detailed, lengthy synopses that demand so much of her time and energy. It amazes me that she can work out an entire story ahead of time, because my method is pretty much exactly the opposite!
I write mainstream/women's fiction, which means I don't have a prescribed word count and I'm not following a genre "formula." When I start a new novel, I'm working from little more than the parameters of the sorts of stories I like to write: a combination of elements that includes family drama, a love story or romantic sub-plot, the examination of a moral/ethical issue and a question of what's right in a given situation. My last proposal, which was the basis of my current two-book contract, was a page-and-a-half long. My proposal for Reunion was about the same. Considering that my manuscripts come in at +/- 100,000 words, let me tell you, it's a tall order to make sure I get all those words in a comprehensive order and delivered to my editor on time.
So why don't I outline, and how do I write those 100k words in the correct order and on time? Good questions! I sometimes wonder the same things myself!
I always begin a new work with two things: a situation, and a primary character or two. Just by thinking it through and journaling a bit, I discover a general starting point and ending point of the story. With Souvenir, I knew I was crafting a tragic but ultimately redemptive love story--but the nature of the tragedy and how it played out were details that emerged only after I'd begun. In short: I had to write the story to find it. This, then, is probably why I can't outline a story. I don't know my characters well enough at the beginning to be able to say what they'll do--and what they'll do is what creates the plot. It's only after I've written fifty or eighty pages that I begin to see the way my subconscious is creating connections. From there, I can further refine my characters, and when I do that, I can see what they might do next, given the situation I've established for them.
For me, crafting a story is, in essence, the process of creating and recognizing a series of diminishing possibilities that lead to an inevitable conclusion. However, using this method means that I have to be three things: 1) a good self-editor, 2) willing to start over as often as necessary until I find the right opening [which I do, sometimes discarding 50-100 pages:], and 3) an efficient, fast writer. Fortunately, I seem to be all of those things, which I think is the answer to how I can work this way and also produce a book each year.
Honestly, I've always been this kind of writer. In college, my essays and term papers were written seemingly off-the-cuff (and usually right before they were due)--and yet I still managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. It's not because I'm brilliant; rather, it's because I know what works for me and I've learned how to make the most of it.
I think it's so cool that although we go about it differently, Diane and I both create multi-layered, suspenseful (and, very importantly, publishable) stories, proving that disparate approaches can and do have successful outcomes. Any of you who are aspiring authors, take note! There is no one right way to craft a novel (nor is there one right kind of novel to craft). The important thing is to discover what works for you.
Hmm...for that matter, the same is true about relationships, occupations--and my personal favorite, popcorn toppings! (Browned butter, sea salt, and grated parm, thanks very much.)
I know I'll never be an outliner, which means that each time I sign a contract, both my publisher and I will be making a leap of faith. Considering how quiet and solitary the writing life tends to be, this brings a bit of mostly welcome suspense and excitement to my life!
However I go about it, my goal is to always provide readers with a full, engrossing, compelling, satisfying read, and I invite you to get in touch with me after you've read my books and let me know how well I'm doing my job. You, the readers, are the ultimate judges.
My thanks again to Diane for having me here, and warmest wishes to all of you!
-Therese
The Challenge of Promoting a Sequel
How do I avoid letting the cat out of the bag?
I'm working on the updates for my website and have discovered a major challenge: how do I tell my readers about Secrets She Left Behind without revealing too much about Before the Storm? You see, Secrets She Left Behind stands alone just fine, but it is also a sequel to Before the Storm. If someone hasn't already read Storm, how do I tell them about Secrets without giving away the twists in Storm? Not only is this a dilemma with regard to my website, it will be a dilemma at my upcoming speaking engagements and signings. (The back cover copy of Secrets gives away the major twist to Storm, as well).
I've seen two reviews of Secrets so far. Both were obviously written by people who hadn't read Before the Storm, and both were excellent, so I know the book stands alone just fine. That is a goal when I write any books that are linked: they must work apart as well as they work together, so that's a relief. But picture this: I'm at a bookstore where I'll be speaking. People approach the table where the books are displayed and casually read the back covers, as they will most definitely do, trying to decide which book to buy. I hate that they will learn what happens in Before the Storm when they read the cover copy of Secrets.
However, there's almost no way of describing the story in Secrets without giving away Storm. I'm determined to come up with a way to talk about the new book without ruining the surprises in the older book. It's going to be quite the challenge. For those of you who read the Keeper of the Light trilogy backwards (and I know there were many of you!), did it bother you that you knew what was going to happen in the first book when you got around to reading it? Am I worrying too much about this?
I'm working on the updates for my website and have discovered a major challenge: how do I tell my readers about Secrets She Left Behind without revealing too much about Before the Storm? You see, Secrets She Left Behind stands alone just fine, but it is also a sequel to Before the Storm. If someone hasn't already read Storm, how do I tell them about Secrets without giving away the twists in Storm? Not only is this a dilemma with regard to my website, it will be a dilemma at my upcoming speaking engagements and signings. (The back cover copy of Secrets gives away the major twist to Storm, as well).
I've seen two reviews of Secrets so far. Both were obviously written by people who hadn't read Before the Storm, and both were excellent, so I know the book stands alone just fine. That is a goal when I write any books that are linked: they must work apart as well as they work together, so that's a relief. But picture this: I'm at a bookstore where I'll be speaking. People approach the table where the books are displayed and casually read the back covers, as they will most definitely do, trying to decide which book to buy. I hate that they will learn what happens in Before the Storm when they read the cover copy of Secrets.
However, there's almost no way of describing the story in Secrets without giving away Storm. I'm determined to come up with a way to talk about the new book without ruining the surprises in the older book. It's going to be quite the challenge. For those of you who read the Keeper of the Light trilogy backwards (and I know there were many of you!), did it bother you that you knew what was going to happen in the first book when you got around to reading it? Am I worrying too much about this?
March 18, 2009
Thank you, UK Readers!
Last week, The Lost Daughter (the title of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes in the United Kingdom) was #5 on the UK Heatseeker's List, which measures the popularity of books by new (to the UK) authors. This week, it's at #2! I'm thrilled and grateful. I know it's because of the painted toenails!
A big thank you to my UK readers, and I hope you continue to enjoy my stories.
A big thank you to my UK readers, and I hope you continue to enjoy my stories.
March 16, 2009
Torture!
We're about halfway through creating the one-to-two minute mini interviews I wrote about in my last post. Torture! Probably much more so for John than for me. He's being incredibly patient. I actually hope that my part in the interviews is at least 90% over, though I know John's editing is only beginning.
I'd divided my topics into five frequently asked questions and wrote a general script of things I would say. John asked ahead of time to see my script, but I pooh-poohed the idea, telling him I'd be fine and just wanted to relax and be myself and go with the flow, yada yada. Famous last words.
In the studio, John hooked me up to the mic and gave me the "go" signal and so I "went" with the answer to my first question: "How did you get started writing?" After a while, he stopped the camera.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"You're at seven minutes."
"You're kidding!"
Hmm. Clearly my go-with-the-flow idea wasn't going to work.
So we came upstairs, I gave him a copy of my script and we started editing. A lot.
I really like speaking, but have a tendency to. . .well, ramble. Rambling doesn't work when you're trying to squeeze a bunch of ideas into a minute. I discovered I simply can't follow a script. How do actors do it??
We didn't make it back into the studio until this morning. After a rocky start (I needed more water. Throat lozenges. Another primping at the mirror. I never knew I could be such a diva!), we sailed through. At least I hope we did. John's watching the footage now and he won't let me near his computer room. I'm steeling myself for the moment I hear him coming up the stairs, those dreaded words on his lips: We need another take.
Torture!
I'd divided my topics into five frequently asked questions and wrote a general script of things I would say. John asked ahead of time to see my script, but I pooh-poohed the idea, telling him I'd be fine and just wanted to relax and be myself and go with the flow, yada yada. Famous last words.
In the studio, John hooked me up to the mic and gave me the "go" signal and so I "went" with the answer to my first question: "How did you get started writing?" After a while, he stopped the camera.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"You're at seven minutes."
"You're kidding!"
Hmm. Clearly my go-with-the-flow idea wasn't going to work.
So we came upstairs, I gave him a copy of my script and we started editing. A lot.
I really like speaking, but have a tendency to. . .well, ramble. Rambling doesn't work when you're trying to squeeze a bunch of ideas into a minute. I discovered I simply can't follow a script. How do actors do it??
We didn't make it back into the studio until this morning. After a rocky start (I needed more water. Throat lozenges. Another primping at the mirror. I never knew I could be such a diva!), we sailed through. At least I hope we did. John's watching the footage now and he won't let me near his computer room. I'm steeling myself for the moment I hear him coming up the stairs, those dreaded words on his lips: We need another take.
Torture!
March 13, 2009
Getting Ready for the Mini-Interviews
Tomorrow, the good quality video camera we're renting will arrive. Then this weekend, John will be filming my "Mini-Interviews," during which I plan to answer some of the questions I'm most commonly asked by my readers. When my website is updated (soon, I hope) I'll get those interviews up to share.
John's been after me for weeks to prepare for these interviews, but I've had so many other things to do (a book to write, for one) that I didn't get to focus on them until today. At Starbucks this morning, I finally sat down with those questions and transferred them to notecards. John would be happiest if I knew my answers by heart, but I think I should just be myself, which means plenty of "uhs" and "ums" and thoughtful glances at the ceiling. Why didn't I join Toastmasters a couple of decades ago when I had time??
I'll let you know how we do.
John's been after me for weeks to prepare for these interviews, but I've had so many other things to do (a book to write, for one) that I didn't get to focus on them until today. At Starbucks this morning, I finally sat down with those questions and transferred them to notecards. John would be happiest if I knew my answers by heart, but I think I should just be myself, which means plenty of "uhs" and "ums" and thoughtful glances at the ceiling. Why didn't I join Toastmasters a couple of decades ago when I had time??
I'll let you know how we do.
